Ravens’ Roquan Smith enjoying new journey away from Bears: ‘My career is not going down the drain’

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Baltimore Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith is enjoying his time playing for one of the AFC’s top teams, especially this season at 7-2. It’s been a different world contending for a playoff spot and Super Bowl title compared to his time with the Chicago Bears. 

Smith’s recent comments about his life with the Ravens seems to throw a bit of shade toward the team that drafted him eighth overall, though he was eventually traded away to the Ravens last season before the NFL deadline. 

"And when I just think about it from the perspective of having the opportunity to compete for one, year in and year out, with the talent we have, man, it makes me so happy, just knowing my career is not going down the drain in the sense of playing somewhere where I’m not truly competing for a title," Smith told Sports Illustrated.

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Roquan Smith of the Baltimore Ravens leads a huddle prior to the game against the Detroit Lions at M&T Bank Stadium on October 22, 2023, in Baltimore. (Michael Owens/Getty Images)

It was Smith’s request to be traded out of Chicago after four seasons with the franchise led to individual success but lacked in the team department toward the end of his tenure.

The Bears were 12-4 in his rookie year, eventually losing in the Wild Card Round. An 8-8 season in 2020 also saw a Wild Card Round appearance, though Chicago would fall yet again after one playoff game.

But the Bears were 6-11 in 2021 and were on the way to a league-worst 3-14 last year before Smith was shipped off to Baltimore. 

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